Rail-joint.



o. R. BALDR'IG'EL RAIL JOINT. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 15, 1909.

Patented May 25, 1909.

1m: NORRIS r-Ersns can, WASHINGTON, n. c

UNTTED STATES CLARENCE RAY BALDRIGE, OF BRADDOOK, PENNSYLVANIA.

RAIL-JOINT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 25, 1909.

Application filed February 15, 1909. Serial No. $78,061.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CLARENCE RAY BALD- nren, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Braddock, in the county of Allegheny and State ofPennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inRail-Joints, of which the following is a specification, reference beinghad therein to the accompanying drawing.

My invention relates to an improvement in rail joints and consists of abase supporting plate having a plurality of integral or fixedlyconnected upwardly extending bolts having shanks and enlarged headsengaging the flanges of the rails, by means of slotted openings therein,as hereinafter described.

The object of the invention is to provide means for connecting the endsof the rails solidly and tightly together without the usual Web boltsand nuts, and to facilitate, cheapen and accelerate the construction andoperation of devices of this character.

The invention also includes means for pre venting dis-connection orseparation of the parts.

In the drawings :Figure 1 is a view in side elevation, partly insection, of a rail joint made in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 isan end view of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a sectional plan view of Fig. 1. Figs.4 and 5 are detail views showing modifications.

The rails 2, 2, which abut together at the joint, have their flanges 3provided with bolt head openings 4 from which extend longitudinally ofthe rails the slot extensions 5.

6 is the connecting base plate preferably rovided with the lateralflanges 7 for engagement with the rail flange edges as shown, and ofample body portion to receive and support the rails. Extending upwardlyfrom the upper face of the plate 6 at each side of its center a distancecorresponding to the lateral spacing of the slotted openings 4, and alsospaced longitudinally to correspond to the location of said openings, isa double series of securing bolts 8 of a diameter to fit within theslots 5 and having retaining heads 9 of a size to bind downwardly on theflange around the slot but to pass freely through the openings 4. Thesebolt heads may be of any suitable form or shape, and are spaced abovethe face of the plate 6 a distance equal to the thickness of the railflanges, the under sides of the bolt heads being sloped to correspond tothe slope of the flanges.

in connecting the parts together with the rails abutting together, theheads of all the bolts are inserted upwardly through openings 4.- andthe upper face of the base 6 brought into contact with the bottoms ofthe rails, and the base is then shifted longitudinally until theirshanks are set into the slots and against the ends thereof, as shown inFigs. 1 and 3, the bolt heads binding downwardly on the rail flanges.Ordinarily the frictional engagement is such that the base and boltshave to be driven longitudinallv by the use of a sledge and will thereremain in place, but any abutment in the road bed may be set up againstthe rear end of the base plate to hold it in place, as a tie 10, Fig. 1.

In Figs. 4 and 5 I have shown a supplemental construction in which thebase plate is provided with a separate tightening bolt and nut i 1 whichmay pass through one of the slots in the same manner as described andthen tightened, or through an ordinary hole in the rail flange, aspreferred. Such device provides a positive tightening element forholding the parts together which thus becomes an incorporated part ofthe construction.

The bolts 8 may be molded or cast integral with the base plate or may beincorporated with it in any other suitable manner. The device will befound to hold the rail ends rigidly and securely together, avoiding thenecessity of the usual fish plates; it is siinple and cheap inconstruction, not liable to get out of order, and will perform its functions satisfactorily.

What I claim is:

i. A rail joint consisting of rail ends having their flanges providedwith longitudinally slotted bolt head openings, and a base plate havingupwardly projecting stud bolts having heads capable of passing throughsaid openings and engaging the slotted extensions thereof by theirshanks, substantially as set forth.

2. A rail joint consisting of rail ends having their flanges providedwith longitudinally slotted bolt head openings, and a base plate mentalsecuring bolt, substantially as set 10 forth, In testimony whereof Iai'liX my signature having upwardly projecting stud bolts en- I gagingsaid slotted openings, with means for fixedly holding the parts againstlongitudinal I IILOVGXIGIlt, substantially as set forth. 111 presence oftwo witnesses.

3. i rail joint consisting of rail ends having their flanges providedwith longitudinally l CLARENCE RAY BALDRIGE' slotted bolt head openings,and a base plate Witnesses: having upwardly projecting stud bolts en- C.M. CLARKE, gaging said slotted openings, and a supple- I CHAS. S.LEPLEY.

